Health providers are getting better at working with patients to make sure they get the care they need and understand their role in the process, according to AHRQ’s newly released Chartbook on Care Coordination. Progress was most significant (improved by more than 10 percent in one year) in one measure, which tracked hospital patients with heart failure who received complete, written discharge instructions when they left the hospital. No care coordination measures showed worsening quality and no measure showed elimination or widening of disparities. Another measure of care coordination, use of electronic health records, found that a majority of patients in all ethnic and educational groups said it was “very important” that their health providers be able to share their medical information electronically. This trend held among patients regardless of educational level, including those with less than a high school education. Their preference for electronic medical information increased from 39 percent in 2008 to 51 percent in 2013.
The report findings directly reinforce the work of the Great Plains QIN; we are working to support community partners through our Coordination of Care and Prevention Coordination through Meaningful Use initiatives.
Please contact us to learn more about how we can support improved care coordination and electronic health record use in your community.